Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Hydropower Project in Turkey Breeds Controversy

The tranquility and mystery of this town on the banks of Tigris River will not last long. The millennia-old town will be destroyed once the nearby Ilisu dam, built for energy and irrigation, is complete.

"I don't want to be forced to move from here," said Nurten Kandemir, 27, who was born and has lived most of her life here. But Kandemir's family along with other residents of the town will have to evacuate the area in the coming months. "I feel a part of my body is taken away from me," she told IPS.

Hasankeyf is dotted with captivating architecture surviving from the Roman, Byzantine, Assyrian and Muslim empires.

The construction of Ilisu, part of the larger South-eastern Anatolia Project, started in 2006. After completion, it is expected to produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity.

Click here to read this article from Futures and Commodities Marketing News